, publishers.Introduction Literature on the association between cannabis use and body mass index (BMI) among adults suggests that greater cannabis use is associated with a lower BMI. However, results are mixed among adolescents, with both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies finding positive, negative, and nonsignificant associations between cannabis use and BMI. This longitudinal study aims to shed light on these associations by prospectively examining the associations between cannabis use and BMI across a 2-year window in a large sample of adolescent cannabis users. Methods Participants were 401 adolescents ages 14-17 at baseline who were at risk for escalation in their use of cannabis. We conducted a parallel process latent growth curve model to examine associations between the cannabis use intercept, BMI intercept, cannabis use slope, and BMI slope. Results Results showed that baseline BMI predicted a positive and significant association with cannabis use slope. In addition, there was a significant and negative correlation between the cannabis use slope and the BMI slope. These significant associations remained after controlling for relevant covariates. Conclusions Results are consistent with the adult literature that reports a negative association between cannabis use and BMI. Future research should focus on uncovering the mechanisms that may drive the association between cannabis use and BMI. Copyright 2020, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.Introduction Cannabis-derived medicinal products (CDMPs) have antiemetic properties and in combination with opioids have synergistic analgesic effects in part signaling through the delta and kappa opioid receptors. The objective of this patient and public involvement program was to determine perception of perioperative CDMPs in our local population to inform design of a clinical trial. Methods A qualitative evaluation was conducted utilizing a focus group, semistructured interviews and a community event. Analysis was conducted through the framework methodology. Verbatim transcriptions were coded categorically into analytical frameworks for thematic analysis. Emergent themes and associated degree of consensus/dissent were determined. The participant cohort was composed of a group of patients and relatives representative of the target population (MF=11, age range 33-85). Results Most common coding categories in thematic analysis framework included side-effect profile, trial schedule of events, and safety. Consensus was that potential benefits of CDMPs were attractive compared with the known risk profile of opioid use. Decrease in opioid dependence was agreed to be an appropriate clinical end-point for a randomized controlled clinical trial and there was concurrence of positive opinion of a therapeutic schedule of 5 days. Negative CDMP perceptions included addiction, dysphoria, and adverse effects in psychiatric subpopulations. Sublingual or oral administration was the most acceptable route of administration, with some expressing that inhalation delegitimizes therapeutic properties. Conclusions The perception of postoperative CDMP therapy was overwhelmingly positive in this West London population. The data from this thematic analysis will inform protocol development of clinical trials to determine analgesic and antiemetic efficacy of CDMPs. Copyright 2020, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.Background Growing evidence suggests that cannabis and alcohol (and especially binge alcohol drinking) use independently alters neural structure and functioning, particularly during sensitive developmental time periods (e.g., emerging adulthood). However, few studies have investigated the effects of same-day use of these two substances. Here, white matter (WM) integrity was investigated in relation to binge alcohol drinking, cannabis, and same-day binge and cannabis co-use in adolescents and emerging adults. Methods FreeSurfer's TRACULA was used to assess WM in emerging adults (n=75; 16-26 years old). Timeline Followback calculated past month cannabis use, binge episodes, and same-day cannabis and binge drinking co-use. Multiple regressions investigated WM by past month cannabis, binge, and co-use. Results Results revealed co-use episodes were related to lower fractional anisotropy (FA), an overall measure of neuronal integrity, in three tracts (left inferior longitudinal fasciculus [ILF], p=0.02; right anterior thalamic radiation [ATR], p=0.01; and left cingulum cingulate gyrus [CCG], p=0.01); and lower axial diffusivity in left ILF (p=0.03). https://www.selleckchem.com/products/azd5363.html Cannabis use was significantly related to greater FA in left ILF (p=0.005), left ATR (p=0.02), right ATR (p=0.05), left CCG (p=0.006), right CCG (p=0.03), and right superior longitudinal fasciculus parietal (p=0.03). Binge episodes related to greater FA in right ATR (p=0.03). Conclusions These findings suggest that co-use was associated with lower WM integrity across frontolimbic tracts. In addition, greater FA was related to greater cannabis use across several tracts and binge alcohol use in one tract. Co-users also appeared to be more severe substance users. Future research should investigate the potential independent and interactive effects of these substances on pre-clinical and clinical levels. Copyright 2020, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.Introduction Chronic stress causes a variety of physiological and behavioral alterations, including social impairments, altered endocrine function, and an increased risk for psychiatric disorders. Thereby, social stress is one of the most effective stressful stimuli among mammals and considered to be one of the major risk factors for the onset and progression of neuropsychiatric diseases. For analyzing the effects of social stress in mice, the resident/intruder paradigm of social defeat is a widely used model. Although the chronic social defeat stress model has been extensively studied, little is known about the effects of repeated or chronic social defeat stress on the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The present study aimed to understand the effects of chronic social stress on anxiety behavior and the levels of endocannabinoids (ECs) and two N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) in different brain regions of mice. Materials and Methods Two-month-old, male C57Bl/6J mice were exposed to chronic psychosocial stress for 3 weeks.